Sikhism

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion which originated in the Punjab region of the Indian Subcontinent in the late 15th century. The faith was founded by Guru Nanak and the nine gurus who succeeded him, and the fundamental beliefs of Sikhism, laid down in the sacred text Guru Granth Sahib, include faith and meditation in the name of the creator, divine unity and equality of all mankind, and honest conduct and livelihood. Sikhism also rejects claims that any particular faith tradition has a monopoly on absolute truth. The religion was persecuted under Muslim rule, with gurus Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur being executed in 1605 and 1675, respectively, after they refused the Mughal rulers' demands that they convert to Islam. The ninth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, named the sacred text as his successor as guru, ending the line of human gurus. By the 21st century, there were 25,000,000 Sikhs worldwide, with the great majority of them living in Punjab (especially in the Indian portion).